Razor-blade sharpener



' I Y 1,501,045 J 1924 G. G. FLOYD RAZOR BLADE SHARPENER Filed Aug. 16, 1922 2 Sheets-Shea! 1' July 15'. 1924. 1,501,045

' a. e. FLOYD RAZOR BLADE SHARPENER Filed Aug. 16, 1922 2 sheen-Sheet 2 c ine a n Patented July 15, 1324s tunes .ta rrrcis GEQBGE G.; FEOYD, DIE RIVEES'IDEfILLINOIS.

BAZOR-BLADEISHARPENER. 1 i E hpplieationyfiledAugust 16, 1922. Serial No. 582,149.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

:Be itiknown that I, GEORGE. G. FLOYD, a citizen of the United States residing ati Riverside,-in the county, ot Goolcandstate of Illinois, have invented. certain; new and useful Improvements. in .R azor-Blade-Sharp- -ure13;

eners, of which the following isa specification.

My invention, relates to simple and ;ef[i

cient ..means for i stropping or sharpening lZLZOlyblZIdBS 1 though not restrictedly;gthosethawing a single cutting edge.

' One aim,oftheinvention is to; provide. an

" appliance-of this character which, with a -.single cstropping' ;elQ 1 .Q. t, will A automati- 1,

cally i strop...both sides of the cutting edge alternately while thehandle is revolved in one direction only, .whereby no especial efa fort is necessary. on the-part of the operator 7 to be ,assuredJthat {the two sides of the cutting. edge vwill; be .stropped inialternation equally and 1 efiiectiyely.

A: further objectofthe invention .isethe.

production of, aldevice ofithisi kind which is simple in structure, which comprises .but,

few parts, and which may. :be economically manufactured.

To, enable those skilled in this: art to; on derstand. the; structural and, functional ad vantages accruingfrom the use of theinven- :tion, in the accompanying drawings,'for1ning a part of this specification, :I have illustrated a preferred, embodiment of: the invention, and for simplicity, like reference charand the (like, ,particularly,

eleyationiof the. spring as- Eigures 9 :ilnd- 10 are QtflllWYlGWS; of the agearing for. operating the oscillatory =;stropping-e ement Figures 11, -12 and13iare detailqviewsof qtheblade-holder and blade; Figure ;12- bei-ng a longitndinal section on-line 12-7-19, of :Eig-

1F figures-14:, 15 andl6-are si nilar viewszof the blade-holder -and blade, the -former equipped-with a fillerg-for the difierent style of blade, Eigure 16 .beinga. CI'QSSsSQQtyl Qll; 9n line 16- 16 ct -Figure; 14; and

. Figure 17 isa-view ofsuclnfillerin;per-

. spective.

Referring to thesesdrawings, it will :be seen that the appliance includesa rectangular casing comprising flanged sheet metal end-wallsfil and-22, and si nilarqside-walls .23 and-2: of less heightunitedmogether by anintegral bottom-wall 2 5,twhereby the upper half of the mechanism is expo sed, -;as is clearly indicated intheyariousfigures, the

lower-half of the mechanical construction being contained in the complete casing. Jlhe two end-walls 21,and;22-have aligned,

inwardly-extended, hollow vhubs or, bearings 26 and 27 on which isarevolublegacylin- ,drical, sleeve OI"l311be-:2-8 having fixed on;;one ,end thereof, two gear-sectors 29 land 31, the

adjacent end teeth of which slightly .oyerslap one another, and are out, of register, in small degree,- as;-1ndr cated .rinost; clearly at the top of Figure 10 these twoiragunentary gear elements being spaced apart 011 1 the ,sleeveflor hollowshaft by interyen ngawasha. as or collars. 32,. 32.

Slidingly accommodated in this sleeve, isa shaft 33 equipped at One endfltith .fln articu- .,1ated; handle 34 =-and with; one-.way; ball- 7, clutch 351 which. enables athe hent handle ;to turn thesleeye in a clock-wise, direction; only,

;the shaft, (at its end ioppos ite the handle,

having a reduceddiametereseotion; ',6,;-l -w i th a rounded, terminal 'gla fl tt, adaptedto; trio at aal y eee'ee' fl n e Surface-0 the-e responding Xhollow jhub on bearing 26 when the handle 1: is straightened X out and. filiG CQlllbil ed ha t an -h dle s dlcri el ceped 1111 the ,sleeye g and held-therein by the mentioned friction, this general constrnctieinbe ng: idfi fib d in detail and claimed; in ,1 my United States Patent No.f1,3Q,867 1; d

May-27,1919;

adapted to intermittently engage and intermesh with the teeth of a gear 37 rotatable on a stud 38 carried by an end-wall of the casing. I

In somewhat similar manner, the gearsector 31 is designed to interruptedly engage the teeth of a wider gear 39 revoluble on a shaft 41 mounted on the end wall of the casing, such gear being constantly in mesh with the teeth of the other gear 37. s This wider gear has rigid therewith, so as to be revoluble with it, a larger gear 42, these two sets of gears 37 and 39 and 42 being held from longitudinal displacement on their stationary supporting shafts by upstanding lugs 43 and 44 bent up from a metal strip or plate 45 secured in any appropriate manner in the casing, the top end of the arm or part 44 which is inclined being bent over to provide a stop shoulder 40.

Gear 42 is constantly in mesh with a gear 46 secured fixedly on an outer sleeve 47 revoluble on the inner sleeve or shaft 28, such external sleeve having fixed thereto, next to the gear 46, an end plate 49, of the shape shown in Figure 10, having on its edge a shoulder 50 acting as a stop, and having another edge 30 forming an opposed or companion stop, both of these being adapted to coact with the part 40 to limit the extent of turning of the sleeve 47 in opposite directions.

This outer sleeve 47, near its other end, has mounted thereon a cam 51 of the shape clearly indicated in Figures 3 and 6 and be tween the two disks 49 and 51 a metal, leather-faced, sector or substantially sc1ni cylindrical stropping-element 48 is provided, such part constituting what may be more or less aptly termed a mutilated or recessed cylindrical stropping-element, which, by the driving mechanism described, is adapted to be oscillated to perform the stropping operation.

Near upper corners, the two sheet-metal end-walls of the casing are provided with aligned, inwardlyextended, hollow bearings 52 and 53 (Figure 11) on which the bladeholder is mounted for oscillation.

Such blade-holder comprises a tubular or hollow cylindrical shaft 54, which, if desired, may be made of two, mating sheetmetal parts held together by an external, confining ring 55 at one end and by a hingepin 66 near their other ends.

Such shaft has two, opposite, longitudinal slots 56 and 57, and near its pivot-pin end, the shaft has an inwardly-extended, substantially-circular projection or lug 58 constitutilng a hollow, integral part of the shaft itse In order to hold this shaft normally so that the razorblade 74 or 81, as the case may be, will naturally project inwardly. axially toward the sleeves or hollow shafts 28 and 47, the stropping-appliance is equipped with a spring 59 of general right-angle form having two adjacent ends 61 and 62 bearing on opposite sides of the neck which to provide two, parallel legs 64 and 65 which are rockingly mounted 011 the pivot-pin 66 of the shaft 54 as is clearly illustrated.

In order to hold this pivoted blade-holder yieldingly in operative position in its shaft,

the two parts 64 and 65 are each provided with the curved wings 67 and 68 adapted to clasp around the exterior of the shaft 54 as is indicated in Figures 1, 2 and 13.

In addition the section 65 has a bent-over part 69 along its top edge to assist in the proper positioning of the razor-blade in the holder and the other section 64 is fitted with a resilient end ear 70 bent transversely of the holder and adapted to overlap the corresponding end of the companion part 65.

As is indicated more clearly in Figure 16, the two, side members 64 and 65 of the blade holder are spaced apart in the upper or outer portion of such holder, but are closer together at 71, 72 along the inner edge of the holder whereby the latter may firmly grasp the blade.

This blade-holder, as described, is adapted to accommodate a razor-blade with one sharp edge such as one of the Gem type, such a blade being of uniform thickness except along its back edge where it is provided with a backing clip extending over both flat faces of the blade.

The appliance thus far described is operated as follows, the operator by grasping either the extension 69 or the clips 67 and 68, as may be most convenient, rocks the blade-holder on the pivot pin out of the shaft 54 into the position shown in Figure 11 the two parts 64 and 65 of the blade holder due to their natural resiliency separating an adequate extent for the ready insertion of the blade.

Such blade 74 with its thicker backing 75 is introduced between the two, separated parts of the blade-holder with one end of the blade bearing on the pivot-pin 66 and the back of the blade resting against the part 69.

The holder and blade are then rocked down into the shaft 54 during which movement the two elements 64, 65 are compressed against the backing of the blade and the two parts 71 and 72 are pressed against iif) the opposite sides of'ithe ablade :proper -Ethe bladedmlderebeingr heldrincorrect position iirtlle-sh-ait bYflGZLSQIhOf :thezspliingrengag ment-r oft-he- ;two clips 67 gand 681BXi 811d 1Iig part1 way around theqexterior oi" timeshare The :ipjarts of ethewmechanism, e chid ng thevblade, are-mow inthegpositions-shown ;1;11:=F 1gures;3and 9.

Rotation of the handle;.in a clockwise direction, by. reason ofnthe intermeshing of the teeth of;;sector-;29, gear: 37,;gear: 39, gear 12 and gear 4 46 e'liects a partial counterclockwise rotation of the. mutilated -or' tragmental stropping element :48.

The rounded projection 58 bearing: on like cam 51' and cooperating: therewith rocks the {blade-holder slightly tagainst the action of the end 61, of the spring 1 59 in: a clockwise direction, as the holder is viewed from the handle and of the appliance; so' that when the stropperyduring its continued: turning :',.Alft6l3 this stropping actionhas been completed, -although the-handle 34 issalways turned in a clockwise directiom-rthe unen- -tioned "rotation ,of the =-stroppingelement stops by reason of the sector129; going :out of mesh with the gear 37, overthrow or eX CSS1V613L1H11IIg oi the stropping member being prevented by the engagement of the shoulder 30 with the fixed abutment 40 as illustrated in Figure 10.

At this time the stropper has passed slightly beyond the blade and the latter by reason of the action of the spring 59 and the shape of the cam 51 swings to normal intermediate position.

Continued turning of the handle in the same direction causes the reverse movement of the stropper by reason of the inter-action between the gear-sector 31 and the gear 39, the associated gear 37 now turning idly.

At the moment that the gear 29 ceases its co-operative relation with gear 37, sector 31 establishes active relation with its gear 39.

Thus the stropping member begins its turning in the opposite or clockwise direction, but, before it reaches the other side or edge of the blade, the blade-holder will have been rocked slightly in a counterclockwise direction against the action of the part 62 of the spring 59 by reason of the cam 51 engaging and moving the projection 58 of the blade-holder shaft, whereby the blade will be in proper position for engagement with the stropper as the latter comes around to it, whereupon continued turning of the stropper efi'ects the sharpening of the edge of the blade as illustrated in Figure 6.

o'Aiter the vcm np etion 01 this stropping ifnnction, tithe Am d -b91116 Ki d tt fluence of the spring swings, the bladepto the intermediate position and=- overthrow of the stropper is prevented by the engagement cot-1 the -shoulder 50 with the stop 40.

Con inued rning :ot the: handle {in rpth Jsingle fdirection causes a repetition of the ac- -tions;speojified so that the two; sides, of @the esingle :fidge blade are -stropped alternately oasis desirable Iforan effective sharpening ac- ;tion.

It-is to beobserved'thatthe' handle is re- :volved in i one direction C only, which moveiment through the gearing specified brings about an oscillation: of -t-he mutilated or i cutaway stropping-member, and that the bladevholder automatically rocks to eposition; the blade preliminarily for proper engagement --wit-h-:the'ey ind ieal;sur aoe-o vth opp g '6lBI11I11],';13l18 cute-away: or; omitted; portion of the stropping member giving sp acergfor. the rocking o'fthe; blade inthermanner. indicated.

' i Thebladehaving been adequately-and efficientlyi stropped,the turning of the handle .is ended and I the blade ;is removed from-the holder in an obvious manner.

In; order tog adapt :thisblade holder-for use withwb-l-ades of a: different;- type suchas a blade 81 (Figure '15 --with no backingstrip and with, end 'shoulders182 and ,83, I provide a supplemental or auxiliary riillergfor-the hplder of the type andrformshownduFigure 1 I This comprises a plate 84: cut away along one edge and supplied near its two ends with ledges or shoulders 85 and 86 and equipped along its opposite edge with a longitudinal flange 87 and at one end with a recess 88, near its other end with an inclined flange 89, and at such other end with a recess 91.

This filler is inserted between the two sides 6 1 and 65 of the blade-holder with the recess 88 receiving the pivot-pin and the recess 91 receiving the resilient ear or lug which holds the filler firmly in position in the bladeholder.

The blade 81 is placed in the holder with its back edge against the flange 87 and with its shoulders 82 and 83 in engagement with the supporting ledges 85 and 86, all as is clearly shown in Figures 1 1 to 17 inclusive.

This filler compensates, at least in a measure, for the absence of a thickened rear portion of the blade and the part 65 may be supplied with an internal rib 7 3, if desired, to bear on the face of the blade.

Inasmuch as the operation of this appliance is the same with this blade as with the one already described, no further description is needed.

It is to be understood that this invention is susceptible of a Variety of embodiments and that many minor mechanical changes may be incorporated in the-structure depicted and described without departure from the substance and essence of the invention and without the sacrifice of any of its substantial benefits and advantages.

I claim:

1. In a razor-blade sharpener, the combination of a stropping-element, a first gear to turn said element, a rotary handle, two offset gear-sectors revolved by said handle, a revolubly-mounted second gear adapted to be intermittently engaged by one of said gearsectors, a third gear in mesh with said second gear and adapted to be intermittently engaged by the other of said gear-sectors, an operative connection between said third gear and said first gear, and a blade-holder means, whereby turning of the handle in one direction only effects the oscillation of said stropping-element.

2. In a razor-blade sharpener, the combination of a shaft, a pair of oil'set gear-sectors revoluble with said shaft, means to turn said shaft in one direction only, a hollow shaft revoluble on said first shaft, a stropping element fixed to and revoluble with said hollow shaft, a pair of revolubly-mounted intermeshing gears positioned to be alternately engaged by said gear-sectors, means to transmit the rotation of one of said gears to said stropping-element, and a blade-holder to support a blade in operative relation to said stropping element.

3. In a razor-blade sharpener, the combination of a stroppingelement having a mutilated cylindrical stropping surface, a pair of gear-sectors coaxial with said stroppingelement, means to revolve said gear-sectors, gear means between said gear-sectors and said stropping-element to oscillate the latter, a blade-holder, and means to oscillate said blade-holder while its blade is in register with the space provided by the mutilation of said stropping-element.

4. In a razor-blade sharpener, the combination of a stropping-element having a mutilated cylindrical stropping surface, a pair of angularly-offset gear-sectors coaxial with said stropping-element, gear means between said gear-sectors and said stropping-element to oscillate the latter, a handle designed to revolve said gear-sectors in one direction only, a blade-holder, and means to oscillate said blade-holder while its blade is in register with the space provided by the multilation of said stropping-element.

5. In a razor-blade sharpener, a bladeholding means comprising in combination, a rockingly mounted longitudinally slotted shaft, a blade-holder normally in said slot and hinged to said shaft to permit its Withdrawal for blade inserting and removal purposes, and a filler for said blade-holder adapting it for the accommodation of a different style of blade.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal.

GEORGE G. FLOYD. [1,. $.1 

